Wednesday, December 31, 2008

One of our readers ChadMichael and his partner Mito contacted me over the great news that the media is picking up on their Christmas decorations which call for people to visit InvalidateProp8, a site by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center which has already raised more than $70,000 in the fight to overturn prop 8.

These guys aren't done yet, they are just beginning their fight! They have launched a new website called Designers for Equality (D.E) In response to prop 8 passing they are asking their fellow designers within the wedding industry (i.e. wedding planners, wedding designers, bridal dress makers, florists, caterers, photographers, hair and make-up savants, wedding venues, everyone involved with making weddings come true); including all who support us, to come together in solidarity and Boycott all weddings. This also includes the cancellation of wedding magazine subscriptions.

D.E understands the economy is poor right now, and that it is very hard to turn down any opportunity to make money. That is why when you commit to boycott all weddings until prop 8 is overturned, the people in the network will collaborate to help one another out.

A call to boycot all weddings, in my mind is a mistep - instead we should ask those who work in these industries to take a stand for equal rights - this could be as easy as posting something on their websites, at their businesses and in their literature that states that they are an equal opportunity marriage service.

The more people we have on our side, the better. Besides - telling a caterer to not cater a straight wedding would put them out of business.

I think this is a hugely dumb idea and doesn't succeed at proving any point and will only result in career failure. You'll piss off a lot of wedding happy young couples that even likely support gay marriage.

Why continue to make others dream weddings come true with our gay talents? Even if they support gay weddings, its a double standard to take money as a designer from an industry that cant marry you. But will exploited you? A couple who supports gay marriage and is still willing to get married after fellow citizens rights have been stripped away are no different then the people who patronized segregated places in the 60's. TAKE A STAND FOR SOMETHING.

your not taking money from an industry that doesn't support you, you take money from clients that *do* support you. it's not the industry that is turning you away - it's religious and political groups. i cant get married in a church, doesnt mean i'd turn away business from someone that can just because *they* can. i think you're targeting the wrong audience. it can only hurt your cause and not help it.

Our community appears to be determined to undermine all of our successes by alienating everyone around them. This is nearly as self destructive as the Calling in Gay Day in which people were asked to risk their jobs in this fragile economy by calling in Gay just to prove a point.

just saw Milk last night....its hard to see the advances we've made when we are fighting the same people 30 - THIRTY years later. If I were a designer, I wouldnt work on weddings either. And if those clients did and do support the designers then they too should take a stand.